<a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/ocean-currents/" target="_blank">Ocean currents</a> contain a massive amount of energy that's usually hidden beneath the waves - but a new <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/crowdenergy/ocean-energy-turbine-limitless-clean-renewable-ene" target="_blank">Ocean Energy Turbine</a> has the potential to harvest this renewable resource. Designed by Florida-based <a href="http://crowdenergy.org/" target="_blank">Crowd Energy</a>, the Ocean Energy Turbine is low-speed, high-torque generator that sits on the sea floor and utilizes the steady power of the currents to generate electricity. Hidden under the water, the Ocean Energy Turbine is relatively safe from weather, it doesn't obscure views, and it has access to consistent and reliable ocean currents. Now it just <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/crowdenergy/ocean-energy-turbine-limitless-clean-renewable-ene" target="_blank">needs funding</a> so that it can reach the next stage in development.

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Ocean Energy Turbine-Crowd Energy

According to the <a href="http://www.boem.gov/Renewable-Energy-Program/Renewable-Energy-Guide/Ocean-Current-Energy.aspx" target="_blank">Bureau of Ocean Energy Management</a>, if you utilized just 1/1000th of the energy potential available in the Gulf Stream in the Atlantic, you could supply Florida with 35% of its electricity. Extrapolate that out across all the major currents globally and there's plenty of potential to supply the entire world with electricity.

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Ocean Energy Turbine-Crowd Energy

Florida-based <a href="http://crowdenergy.org/" target="_blank">Crowd Energy</a> was started by two brothers and marine experts, Todd and Phillip Janca, who want to harness that energy. They have been working for eight years on a sub-sea water turbine that will safely and efficiently generate energy from marine currents.

As the current begins to push on a paddle the blades flip shut, offering more surface area for the current to push against. As the paddle spins around, the blades open back up to offer less resistance.

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Ocean Energy Turbine-Crowd Energy

The turbine has been designed to withstand the harsh conditions of the marine environment while minimizing impact on aquatic life. The high-torque, low-speed turbine operates at speeds similar to swimming fish and should not present any physical risk to life, and it also makes minimal noise so as to not disturb marine life acoustically.

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Ocean Energy Turbine-Crowd Energy

Currently, <a href="http://crowdenergy.org/" target="_blank">Crowd Energy</a> is running a <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/crowdenergy/ocean-energy-turbine-limitless-clean-renewable-ene" target="_blank">Kickstarter Campaign</a> to raise funds for the company to progress their design past their first prototype into a second prototype for laminar flow tank tests.

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Ocean Energy Turbine-Crowd Energy

Afterwards they will begin open water testing and verification with the help of the <a href="http://snmrec.fau.edu/" target="_blank">Southeast National Marine Renewable Energy Center at Florida Atlantic University</a>. The team hopes to prove their technology, improve upon the design and then begin work on production scale turbines that can generate real electricity in the ocean.

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Ocean Energy Turbine-Crowd Energy

Ocean currents contain a massive amount of energy that's usually hidden beneath the waves - but a new Ocean Energy Turbine has the potential to harvest this renewable resource. Designed by Florida-based Crowd Energy, the Ocean Energy Turbine is low-speed, high-torque generator that sits on the sea floor and utilizes the steady power of the currents to generate electricity. Hidden under the water, the Ocean Energy Turbine is relatively safe from weather, it doesn't obscure views, and it has access to consistent and reliable ocean currents. Now it just needs funding so that it can reach the next stage in development.